To-do list: Learn to gut a deer!

[mike243]

Re: To-do list: Learn to gut a deer!

properly cared for deer meat is both tasty & healthy.keeping the time short between killing it & frezzing it makes a big difference.i read about aging deer like beef but i have not seen any better taste by hanging for several weeks in a cooler,knowing what to cut away & not over cooking plays a part in the overall satisfaction.some folks never get over the bambi picture.i have killed 10 in the last 2 years & can say its not hard to process,getting them on the ground is the hardest part ,i have also help several others with their deer & after you do a few it is quick & easy to do.that said grinding it can be a pain as most of the silver skin has to be removed unless you have a commercial grinder,also you will lose 1/2 of the meat due to trimming.i dont grind much unless the deer is 150lbs or more,there is less waste due to bigger muscles .you will be suprised at all of the different muscle groups in a leg ,i have taken between 30-40 deer in the last 25 years,mike243

 

[j_martin]

Re: To-do list: Learn to gut a deer!

Hanging a venison for awhile can make the meat both tastier and more tender. It is tricky to do with natural weather, not a big deal in a meat cooler.

If the deer is killed and field dressed and cooled down fairly quickly, it's beneficial. If it took some time to find and deal with it, or the meat is compromised, for instance by a gut shot, then it needs to get in the freezer as soon as possible.

Once I shot a whitetail buck that field dressed 270 lbs. The weather was such that I was able to hang it for over a week. The steaks were tough. You couldn't cut them with the side of your fork, you had to use a butter knife.

Not hung it would have been 200 lbs of hamburger.

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: To-do list: Learn to gut a deer!

^^^^^
Agreed, hanging's the only way to go...keep it between 34ish and 40 degree's out of the sun and leave it 7 -10 days and... succulent city!

7 out of 10 years around these parts during rifle season, my garage makes a great cooler, other years{warm ones} I usually have to pay someone for cooler storage.

Lowkee...just jump right in at the next chance you get, sure someone nearby can walk you through it, real hard to get someone to do it for you while you watch lol...lot of cookies have been tossed, but not only by newbies...don't ask me how I know ............let's just say, it can be rough with a hunting camp hangover..to say the least!

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: To-do list: Learn to gut a deer!

In Illinois you can not shoot a deer hit by a car/truck only a LEO can.
One evening I see a police car pulled on the side of the road with a stain on the road. There is an injured deer in the ditch and the female cop is afraid to shoot it about 5 min later another cop shows up and puts 2 rounds in it.
I claim the deer and bring it home I get the back straps and rear legs then use the rest as coyote bait.

 

[j_martin]

Re: To-do list: Learn to gut a deer!

In Illinois you can not shoot a deer hit by a car/truck only a LEO can.
One evening I see a police car pulled on the side of the road with a stain on the road. There is an injured deer in the ditch and the female cop is afraid to shoot it about 5 min later another cop shows up and puts 2 rounds in it.
I claim the deer and bring it home I get the back straps and rear legs then use the rest as coyote bait.

One day I was up at the sheriff's office getting a tag for a deer I picked up the night before, and while I was there I was told that a deputy was ready to dispatch another crippled deer near my home, do I want it. I said "sure" and they gave me a tag for that one 2.

When I got there, I found a dear with broken legs, not going anywhere, with 3 rounds of .38 through the middle of it with powder burns.

What a maroon.

 

[aspeck]

Re: To-do list: Learn to gut a deer!

Gutting and processing is not hard, and actually part of the "fun" of getting the venison. We regularly pick up road kills, and with a little TLC, almost any road kill can be made edible! You just have to work the blood clots out of the meat and clean it up well ... hose pressure helps.

As far as gutting and skinning, I use my 2" pocket knife. I don't like to carry much in the woods with me. I did learn I needed a bigger knife when I went elk hunting ... it is a bit different processing one of those big animals, but for your standard variety white tail, you really don't need a big knife.

lowkee, you seem to be a fairly bright person, you will catch on in no time. It is not a task to be feared, but to be enjoyed ... part of the natural ritual of the kill and use of the food that God put on this earth for us to harvest and use responsibly.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: To-do list: Learn to gut a deer!

I can't believe aspeck did not point out the most important part of eating roadkill......... have someone direct traffic so you do not get hit!

 

[aspeck]

Re: To-do list: Learn to gut a deer!

I can't believe aspeck did not point out the most important part of eating roadkill......... have someone direct traffic so you do not get hit!

I am sorry, Bob, that is a very important part of the road kill equation. Do it in pairs,or drag it off the road to a safe place first!